Feeding mechanism.



W. E. SWANGER & E. P. RUBBER. FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 31, 1908.

Patented May 18, 1,909.

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W. E. SWANGER & E. P. HUEBEH.

FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. a1, 1908.

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ilNlE STATEfi ATNT Fldffi.

WILLIAM E. SWANGER AND EDWARD P. HUEBER, OF HACKETTSTOWN, NEW JERSEY,

ASSIGNORS TO AMERICAN MACHINERY & EXPORT 00., OF HAOKETTSTOWN, NEW JER-SEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

FEEDING MECHANISM.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM E. SWAN- GER and EDWARD P. HUEBER, bothcitizens of the United States, residing at Hackettstown, in the countyof Warren and State of New Jersey, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Feeding Mechanism, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to excelsior machines, and the primary objectthereof is to provide a machine of this class having an automaticallyoperable and manually regulable feed mechanism whereby the block will beintermittently fed to the knives or cutters and wherein the stroke ofthe actuating means for the machine may be increased or diminished witha correspondingly increased or decreased feed of the block.

A further object of the invention is to provide a strong and durablefeed mechanism for an eXcelsior machine wherein the use and necessity ofemploying a worm on the machine drive shaft and a cooperating worm gearto serve as the transmitting means for actu ating the feed are overcomewith the material advantage that a positive feed always ensues andfrequent replacement or substitu tion of and for the worm and worm gearas now employed is avoided, and, further, to provide a feeding mechanismthat may be regulated constantly without change of gears.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a feed mechanismfor eXcelsior machines embodying a friction clutch for actuating meansfor intermittently rotating the feed rolls and dispensing with the useof a ratchet mechanism, which is disadvantageous in view of wear andlimited adjustment and necessitates replacement. This class of machinesis operated at a high speed and in the use of ratchet mechanismordinarily employed wear will ensue very rapidly and an impositiveoperation will result and the expense of maintaining this class ofmachines in working order will be materially increased in view of thenecessity of replacing the worn ratchet mechanism. The friction clutchsubstituted in the present machine for the ratchet mechanism will lastindefinitely and Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 31, 1908.

Patented May 18, 1909.

Serial No. 413,643.

readily adjust itself to any part of a full revolution, which is imossible in the use of a ratchet mechanism imited in accordance with thenumber of teeth of the ratchet.

Although a feeding mechanism in accordance with this invention isdesigned primarily for use in connection with eXcelsior machines, itwill be understood that the same mechanism is adapted for any use or mayform a part of any machine to which it is applicable.

With these and other objects and advantages in view, the inventionconsists in the construction and arrangement of the several parts whichwill be more fully hereinafter specified.

In the drawings: Fi ure 1 is a side elevation of an upright eXce siormachine showing a feeding mechanism applied thereto and em bodying thefeatures of the invention. Fig' 2 is a front elevation of the machineand the feeding mechanism. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the feedingmechanism in detail and to which the features of the invention aredirected. Fig. 4 is a detail view in sectional plan of the frictionclutch, the lower end of the oscillatory lever and the connectionbetween the lever and the clutch.

The numerals 1 and 2 designate a frame uprights and projecting outwardlyfrom the upright 1 is a horizontal supporting member 3 carrying anupright 1. The upper ends of the uprights 1, 2 and 4 are connected by ahorizontal cap or cross member 5, and by this means an auxiliary frameis provided at the upper extremity of the main frame of the machine fordisposing the driving mechanism in such position as to render itconvenient for cooperation therewith of the particular mechanismembodying the features of the invention. Bearings 6 and 7 arerespectively applied to the uprights 1 and 4, and therein is mounted theprime operating or controlling shaft 8 carrying fast and loose pulleys 9and 10 adapted to be engaged by a elt from a prime power generatingmechanism, not shown. The shaft 8 projects inwardlya suitable distancebetween the uprights 1 and 2 and on the end thereof between theseuprights a crank wheel 11 is fixed and provided with a suitable wristpin 12 for the attachment of the upper end of a pitman or vertical driverod 13, the latter being attached at its lower end. to a cutter head 14reciprocatingly held by vertical guide rods 15 also supported by theuprights 1 and 2. The cutter head 1.4 is provided with a scoring blade16 and a shaving knife 17 which are brought into operative relation tothe block to produce the excelsior in a manner which will be readilyunderstood.

Secured to the uprights 1 and 2 near their lower ends are bearingbrackets 18 in which is mounted a lower feed shaft 19 carrying a centralfeed roll 20. Above the brackets 18 slotted plates 21 arc'held on theuprights 1 and 2 by adjusting bolts 22 and said plates have at theirupper ends bearing brackets 23 for the u per feed shaft 24 which alsocarries a feed roll 25 similar to the roll 20. Projecting upwardly fromthe brackets 23 are racks 26 engaged by pinions 27 fixedon a spindle 28journaled in brackets 29 secured on the uprights 1 and 2, the saidspindle having a handle 30 at one end for shifting the samewhen it isdesired to adjust the position of the upper feed roll 25 relatively tothe lower feed roll 20 to compensate for various lengths of blocks. Acounter-weight 31 is flexibly connected to the spindle 28 for instanceby a chain 32 for exerting a tension on the said spindle suff cient tomaintain the upper feed roll 2-5 in close contact with the top of theblock and whereby the block is positively held between the two rolls.Each of the feed shafts 19 and 24 projects from the upright 1 andcarries a worm gear 33, the said worm gears both being held incontinuousmesh with worms 34 disposed at suitable distances apart on avertically extending and intermittently rotatable feed shaft 35journaled in brackets 36 attached to the upright 1.

The mechanism just described is well known in the art of excelsiormachines and has been generally referred to to indicate the relationshipof the improved features or the articular feeding mechanism embodyingthe features of the invention and which will now be fully specified.The'improved mechanism consists of a cam 37 fixed on the shaft 8, thesaid cam operating the actuating means for the feedingmechanism. Theactuating means forming the essential element of the feeding mechanismconsists of an oscillatory lever 38 fulcrumed at an intermediate pointas at 44 to a bracket 45 extending toward the front of the machine andheld by the upright 1. The upper end of the lever 38 is inclinedrearw'ardly as at 39 and the forward inclined edge is reinforced by awear plate 40 which is held in continual contact with the cam 37.

The cam 37 operates to force the upper end of the actuating means orlever 38 rearwardly and the lower extremity of said lever outwardlyagainst the resistance of a spring 41 secured to the rear edge of thelever 38 below the fulcrum 44 as at 43 and also to the upright 41 as at42. When the high side of the cam 3'7 traverses the upper inclinedextremity of the actuating means or lever 38, the movement is regular,and as the lower side of the said cam comes around into contact with theupper extremity of the lever the spring 41 draws the said upper end ofthe lever in close cont-act with the camor maintains a positiveengagement of the lever with the cam and at the same time the lowerextremity of the lever is forced rearwardly, and

by this means a regular oscillation of the lever ensues without theleast tendency to abruptness of movement.

To obviate lateral movement of the lower extremity of the oscillatory.lever 38 and which might ensue by wear of the fulcrum, anoutstandingguard or bracket 47 is provided and secured to the outer edgeof the upright 1 adjacent to said lever 38. The lower end of the lever38 is provided with a laterally extending apertu'red arm 46 which isconnected to and cooperates with a clutch mechanism. This clutchmechanism is disposed on the upper extremity of the shaft 35 to impartan intermittent motion to said shaft and consists of a disk 48 keyed asat 49 to the shaft. The periphery of thed isk 48 is grooved, therebyprovldin'g upper and lower annular flanges 50, 51 between which isdisposed a gripping chain 52. The disk 48 0011 stitutes the femalemember of the clutch and the chain 52' serves as the male member of theclutch, the said chain being formed of a series of links pivotallyconnected and coinpletely surrounding the said disk and having aterminal link 53 at one end thereof fitted over or embracing the innerend of a bar 54 standing outwardly therefrom and serving both as atension regulating or controlling and a coupling means for the saidchain.

To insure retention of the link 53 on the inner end of the bar 54, thelatter is formed with a groove 55, as clearly shown by Fig. 4. The link56 at the op "osi'te extremity of the chain embraces the ar 54 at apoint outwardly from the inner end of said bar and is diagonallydisposed, said link 56 engaging a groove 57 in the bar to maintainpositive assemblage thereof with the latter, the grooves 55 and 57 beingfor-med in opposite edges of the bar. A spring 59 is also attached toone of the chain links, as at 58, and connected at its oppositeextremity to a link or coupling member GOI-novably engaging the bar 54and also movabl'y attached to the arm 46 at the lower end of theactuating means or oscillating lever 38. For convenience in assemblingthe link or coupling member 60 with the arm 46 and bar 54, its ends arebent at an angle as shown by Fig. 3 and inserted through openings in thearm and bar. The spring 59 tends to return the chain 52 and the bar 54,after relaxation, to normal position or subsequent to partial rotationof the clutch mechanism, or movement of said clutch to rotate the shaft35. The connecting link or member 60 transmits motion from the actuatingmeans or lever 38 to the tension or coupling bar 54 and the outwardmovement of the lower extremity of the said actuating means or lever 38is transmitted through the link or member 60 to the bar 54 to relax thechain 52, which through the medium of the spring 59 is returned tonormal position.

The movement of the oscillating lever or actuating means 38 is regulatedas to its stroke or may be increased or diminished to correspondinglyincrease or decrease the feed of the block without the necessity ofchanging gears by means of an eccentrically mounted or cam disk 61fulcrumed as at 62 011 the bracket 47 in rear of the said lever oractuating means, the said cam having an operating handle 63 for manualactuation. The edge of the cam or disk 61 and the rear edge of the lowerextremity of the actuating means or lever 38 are constantly held inalinement particularly by the bracket 47 which prevents the lowerextremity of said actuating means or lever from moving laterally orbecoming distorted, or vibrating, and thus a positive adjustment orregulation of the stroke of the actuating means or lever may be readilyobtained by rotating the disk or cam 61 and consequently modifying themovement of the link or connecting member 60 and the clutch mechanism.It is evident that when the disk or cam 61 is shifted in one directionthe length of the stroke of the lever 38 can be increased, therebyincreasing the movement of the clutch and shaft 35, and when the disk orcam 61 is shifted in the op posite direction the length of the stroke ofthe lever 38 will be decreased and the movement of the clutch and shaftcorrespondingly diminished.

From the foregoing description the operation of the mechanism will bereadily understood. Nhen the shaft 8 is rotated it will cause the cam 37to intermittently force the upper extremity of the actuating means orlever 38 rearwardly and the lower extremity of said lever will besimultaneously moved forwardly against the resistance of the s )ring alland thus tighten the chain on the clutch disk 48 and operate the latterto impart to the shaft 35 a partial rotation. When the high part of thecam 37 has fully traversed or moved over the upper extremity of thelever or actuating means 38, the spring 41 operates to draw the saidlever backwardly in the opposite direction and the chain 52 on theclutch disk is relaxed sufficiently to permit the parts to return tonormal position and ready for a subsequent gripping action of the chainrelatively to the clutch disk. The movement of the shaft 35 through theactuation of the clutch mechanism explained will, by means of the worms34 thereon and the worm gears 33 equally operate the spindles 19 and 24carrying the feed rolls 20 and 25 and regularly feed the blockrelatively to the scoring and shaving knives or blades, as will bereadily understood.

What is claimed is:

1. In an excelsior machine, the combination with cutting devices havinga vertical reciprocation and feed rolls provided with means forsimultaneously operating the same, of a main driving shaft forvertically reciprocating the cutting devices provided with a cam, anoscillating actuating means having its upper extremity held in loosecontact with the cam and its lower extremity connected to the means forsimultaneously operating the feed rolls, and a manually operative deviceto engage the rear edge of the lower extremity of the said oscillatingactuating means to modify the stroke of the latter means and of themeans for simultaneously operating the feed rolls.

2. In an excelsior machine, the combination with cutting devices havinga vertical reciprocation and feed rolls provided with means forsimultaneously operating the same, of a main driving shaft forvertically reciprocating the cutting devices provided with a cam, aspring-actuated oscillating means having its upper extremity held incontact with the cam and its lower extremity connected to the means forsimultaneously operating the feed rolls, means for preventing lateralmovement of the lower extremity of said oscillating means, and aneccentrically mounted manually operative device to engage the rear edgeof the lower extremity of the said oscillating means to modify thestroke of the latter means and also of the means for simultaneouslyoperating the feed rolls.

3. In an excelsior machine, the combination with cutting devices havinga vertical reciprocation and feed rolls provided with means forsimultaneously operating the same, of a main driving shaft forvertically reciprocating the cutting devices provided with a cam, aspring retracted oscillating means having its upper extremity held incontact with the edge of the cam and its lower extremity connected tothe means for simultaneously operating the feed rolls, the saidoscillating means being continuous from its upper to its lowerextremity, and an ec- 1 set our hands in presence of two subscribingcentrically mounted manually operlative de- Witnesses.

vice to en a e the rear edge of the oWer eX- tremity o l the saidoscillating means to 5 modify the stroke of the latter means and alsothe movement of the means for simulta- Witnesses:

neously'operating the feed rolls. 7 E OSCAR P. J OHNSTON,

In testimony whereof We have hereunto 1 ROBERT H. RICHARDS.

